5

“You don’t look all that much the worse for wear, Clay, considering that was one of the toughest boxing matches I’ve ever seen,” Jasper Wheeler noted when the Rangers boarded his private car the next morning, and settled into plush green velvet chairs. “You cost me quite a bit of money, by the way. I bet a bundle on Doyle.”

“Thanks.” Clay attempted a grin that was more of a lopsided grimace. “It helped that your men didn’t stir things up too much last night.”

Despite Pete Townsend’s dire predictions, the railroaders’ celebration, while rowdy, had only been marred by a few minor altercations.

“I warned them to stay in line,” Wheeler explained.

“It worked,” Dade laughed.

The locomotive’s whistle blew, and the train lurched into motion.

“We’ll be having breakfast shortly. After that you may ask me all the questions you wish,” Wheeler noted.

The Rangers enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast while the train chugged along. After they were finished, and enjoying a last cup of thick black coffee, Dade and Wheeler puffing on cigars, the superintendent finally allowed them to question him.

“Do you have any idea who’s behind the attacks on the railroad?” Jim asked.

“Not a clue,” Wheeler admitted. “Everyone seems to be in favor of the line, along with the progress and prosperity it will bring to this entire region. We hope to eventually extend our tracks all the way to Denver.”

“Well, someone sure wants to stop you,” Clay replied.

“Perhaps not. Don’t forget, settlers and others have also been robbed or murdered,” Wheeler pointed out. “We too may just be victims of those same gangs.”

“I don’t think so. Not from the information Captain Morris provided,” Jim disagreed.

“Jim’s right. There’s been too many attacks on your crews,” Dade noted. “What have you done about that?”

“What we can, which isn’t adequate,” Wheeler conceded. “My men are railroaders, not fighters. I have Patrick Doyle, the man Clay fought yesterday, in charge of defending the crews, but he’s not a rifleman. None of us are, which is why I’m counting on you Rangers.”

“We’ll do everything we can to protect your men and get to the bottom of this,” Clay responded.

“Sure would be great if we had an idea where to start, however,” Jim added.

“I’m confident you’ll solve this dilemma,” Wheeler replied. “In the meantime, why don’t you just relax and enjoy your ride. We’ll be in Snyder in ninety minutes or so. We’re still running the trains more slowly than we will once all the detail work is finished.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Clay said. He stretched out his legs and tilted his Stetson over his battered face.

Clay and his partners dozed for a bit. About an hour later, Clay awakened and glanced out his window. A stagecoach was racing at breakneck speed on the road paralleling the tracks. The driver was whipping his team mercilessly, urging them to even greater speed.

“Jim, Dade. Look out there.”

Clay pointed to the coach.

“What in blue blazes is that fool doing?” Dade asked.

“Looks like the idiot’s tryin’ to outrun this train,” Clay answered.

“There’s a crossing about a mile ahead,” Wheeler observed. “It appears that driver is trying to beat us there.”

“He should be shot for abusin’ those horses like that,” Jim said. “When he rolls into Snyder I’m gonna have a long discussion with him…and he sure won’t enjoy it.”

“If he reaches that crossing at the same time as this train there won’t be anything of him left to talk with,” Clay responded.

They watched with growing trepidation while the stagecoach hurtled alongside the train, the jehu ignoring the engineer’s frantic blasts of the whistle.

“He’s gonna kill himself and everyone on that stage,” Clay muttered.

“Darn fool!” Dade added.

The locomotive rumbled over the crossing just ahead of the stage. The coach’s driver pulled back hard on the reins, causing the leaders to rear. They stopped just before crashing into the tender.

“I’m not gonna talk to him. I’m gonna pound some sense into him,” Jim snapped. “And make sure he loses his job.”

“I’ll finish what you start,” Clay added.

“What you just observed won’t be a problem much longer,” Wheeler said. “Once we start regular service, the

stage line will be out of business. We have offered all their workers employment with the railroad; however, I don’t believe that particular individual is suitable.”

“I’d agree with you,” Clay answered. “Endangering folks like that. Jasper, how much longer until we reach Snyder?”

“About thirty minutes,” Wheeler replied. “I’ve already sent word ahead to reserve a room for you and stalls for your horses. You’ll be settled in no time.”

“We appreciate that,” Jim answered, “But we need to make a stop about five miles before town.”

“Oh? Why?” Wheeler asked.

“We’re gonna drop off Dade and his horse. He’s gonna head out and do some pokin’ around on his own,” Jim answered.

“That’s right. I’m now Kiowa Dave, half-breed renegade,” Dade grinned.

“Dade’s real good at playin’ a half-breed or Mexican,” Jim explained. “That way, he can often find out information a Ranger never could.”

“I understand,” Wheeler answered.

A half-hour before reaching Snyder, the train ground to a stop. Dade descended from the coach and retrieved Spook from the boxcar, then disappeared into the brush.

The remainder of the journey was uneventful. Once the train pulled into Snyder, Clay and Jim unloaded their horses and left them at the stable. They settled in chairs in front of the newly-built hotel to await the stage’s arrival.

Jim and Clay never did get the opportunity to confront the stage driver about his reckless conduct. When the coach’s team stopped just short of crashing into the train, the shotgun guard, infuriated at the driver’s risking the lives of everyone on board, had grabbed the reins from the driver’s hands and sent him flying from the seat with an oath and a well-placed kick to his rump, along with a stern warning never to show his face in town. The guard then completed the run to Snyder.

Not knowing when or where the renegades might strike next, the Rangers decided on a random pattern of accompanying the track crews, alternating with patrolling the area.

“What about your partner?” Wheeler asked, as Clay and Jim prepared to depart Snyder.

“Don’t worry about Dade,” Clay assured him. “He’ll find us when he needs to.”

“All right. Good luck. And be careful,” Wheeler urged.

“We will. See you in a few days,” Jim answered.